A TikTok video led to scientists uncovering a rare underground fish species in India.

      No one anticipated that a video of a borewell would lead to a scientific discovery, but here it is.

      Typically, a TikTok video leads to the latest recipe or a dance craze. However, this one directed researchers to a newly identified species of fish.

      Scientists have unveiled a new genus and species of subterranean earthworm eel residing under the Indo-Gangetic Plain in Bihar, northern India. Dubbed Gangaichthys indonepalicus, it represents the first underground eel ever documented in the Gangetic Basin, all sparked by a casual borewell video.

      The findings were published in ZooKeys and were spearheaded by an international collaboration involving the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Shivaji University, the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and the Zoological Survey of India. A short video was uploaded to TikTok in 2024, showing a peculiar, tiny fish emerging from a water borewell close to the India-Nepal border, which piqued researchers' interest.

      “The fish’s unique morphology in the video, combined with the absence of known stygobitic fish in the area, inspired us to locate the species and verify its identity,” the research team noted.

      How did researchers come to find the underground fish?

      Researcher Akshay Khandekar and his team had to manually pump out thousands of liters of water from borewells in Bihar, seeking out owners willing to participate. The first fish collected was unfortunately harmed during the process and did not survive. The team's primary holotype specimen only became visible after they pumped out another 500 liters of water.

      What makes this fish so distinctive?

      Measuring only around four centimeters in length, Gangaichthys indonepalicus is adapted to a life in total darkness. It features skin-covered eyes, a translucent body devoid of pigment, and lacks ribs altogether. CT scans and genetic analysis confirmed that it is not only a new species but also an entirely new genus within the Chaudhuriidae family.

      The name is itself a homage. “Gangaichthys translates to fish of the Ganga,” researcher Agarwal explained, linking the species to the river that profoundly influences life in the area. Researcher Tejas Thackeray noted that “indonepalicus” refers to the location where the fish was discovered, right along the India-Nepal border.

      Such discoveries serve as a reminder of how much we still have to learn about what lies beneath our feet.